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(Mode1.) 0. S. VAN WAGONER;

SPRING HINGE. No. 258,510. Patented May 23,1882.

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UNiTeio STATES PATENT @FFTCEQ CORNELIUS S. VAN WAGONER, OF BROOKLYN,ASSIGNOR TO VAN VVAGONER 8Z7 WILLIAMS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPRING- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,510, datedMay 23, 1882.

' Application filed November 23, 1881. (ModeL) I To all whom it mayconcern Be it known that I, CORNELIUS S. VAN WAGONER, of Brooklymin thecounty of Kin gs and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Spring- Hinges; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnishedand forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, and completedescription of the several features of my invention, all of which areadapted to adjustable springhinges, and some of them to such as arenonadjustable, and although they are illustrated as embodied insingle-acting hinges they are equally applicable in whole or in part tothose which are double-acting.

The several features of my invention, after a full description, will beseparately designated inthe several claims hereunto annexed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of one of my novelspring-hinges as applied to a door and its frame, thenpper end of thespring at one side being broken away. Fig. 2 is atop view of the hinge.Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same on line 1 y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a similar section on line m. Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar toFig. 4, illustrating a modification of construction whereby thenon-adjustable spring-lug is lockedagainst independent rotation. Fig. 6is a top view of theadjustable spring-lug detached. Figs. 7 and 8'areside views of the adjustable springlug. Figs. 9 and 10 are respectivelytop and side views of the non-adjustable lug detached. Fig. 11represents the spring detached in end and side views. Fig. 12 is a viewillustrating an adjustable springlug and an automatic spring-latch.Figs. 13 and 14 are respectively front and rear views of anon-adjustable sprin ghinge embodying certain features of my invention.

The leaves A and B of the hinge. have, as usual, the ears a and b, and ahinge rod or pintle, c, which is preferably headed at its upper end, andreadily removable longitudinally. The cars bin the better class ofhinges are preferably enlarged, as shown in Fig. 1, to generallycorrespond in outline with the ears a, and also with the spring-1n gshereinafter described.

50 "The spring 0, as heretofore, has abutting ends d, which projectradially, and although short they are enabled to engage with a firmhooking effect-upon the stud. Both ends of this spring are preciselyalike, and therefore it more rapidly and cheaply assembled than when,

because ofdifterence in the ends of the spring, the latter can only beplaced in one particular way into the hinge.

D and D denote respectively the adjustable and non-adjustablespring-lugs. These, as heretofore, are axially mounted upon thepintlerod 0, and they have cylindrical necks efor 00-. cupying theinterior of the spring, at each end thereof, for accurately centeringthe same; but as a novel feature they each have an abutting stud, f,which projects therefrom parallel with the axis of the lug and outsideof the spring when the latter is in position, so that the terminal coilof the latter occupies the space between said stud and the cylindricalneck, and

the radially-projecting end of the spring engages with or hooks againstone edge of said stud. The surface of the lug surrounding the base ofthe neck 0 is made to conform. to the surface of the terminal coil ofthe spring, so as to afford a good bearing therefor, and at the oppositeend of the lug there is a smooth bearing-surface for flatly engagingwith the inner, surface of the adjacent hinge-ear.

The adjustable sprin g-lu g D has agood bearing-surface against thecoincident surface of the enlarged ear I), and it is provided with aseries of radial recesses, g,said recesses being open at the top of thelug as well as at the edge thereof. When the lug is in position theadjacent ear 1) covers the top of the lug, thus 0 making the recessespractically the same as' radial holes for the reception of. a pin or anail for looking it, or for setting the spring, as in well-knownpintle-socket tension devices.

For locking the lug under any desired ten- 5 sion I employ a lockingdevice which is permanently attached to the hinge, as shown in Fig. 1,wherein the latch or bolt is a swinging plate riveted to the leaf of thehinge; but said' locking device is only novel when considered ire withreference to its combination and arrangement with reference to adjacentparts of the hinge. This lock or bolt is capable of being swung onlydownwardly for engaging with the lug, and upwardly for disengaging, andwhen in said engagement one end thereof rests upon the bottom of therecess occupied by it, and the recessesin the lug being closed fromabove by the ear I), the latteris provided with an open radial slot, asat Z1, for use with a lockingbolt, so that as the swingingboltpassesdownward it passes through said slot into a recess in the lug, and whenthe spring is under tension the bolt has a firm seat in said slot 1),from which it cannot accidentally be displaced.

With or without the slotted ear I can conveniently employ with aspringlug having the stud and neck described, a spring-latch, asillustrated in Fig. 12, wherein, instead of radial recesses in the lug,the latter is provided with inclined-faced projecting pins, with whichthe spring-latch h engages, said latch having a spring-metal shanksecured in a split stud cast integrally with the leaf of the hinge. Asthus constructed, the latch will automatically operate while increasingthe tension of the spring, but will have to be held back when tension isreleased. The pins will require a special device for turning the lug,after the manner of a hose-wrench, and therefore the variation intension could be limited to a person having possession of the wrench;but the radial recesses require only a pin or nail for setting thetension, and are therefore generally preferable; but both the recessesand the studs could be employed in the same lug, accompanied by anautomatic spring-latch.

It is well known that in working a springhinge the springis' more orless expanded and contracted longitudinally, and the spring-lugs aretherefore liable to be moved toward and from each other by the movementsof the ends of the spring in contact therewith. The adjustablespring-lug D is limited to a rotative movement by me by means of aninwardlyprojecting stud, a, formed on the inner edge of leaf B andextending slightly beneath the lug D near its periphery, so that thelatter is thereby prevented from moving longitudinally on the pintle-rodc. For similarly confining the non-adjustable lug D the leaf A of thehinge has at its inner edge an inwardly-projecting stud, a Fig. 4,formed thereon, which, by contact with the surface of the lug near itsperiphery, prevents itfrom rising on the pintlerod 0. The lugs beingthus confined against longitudinal movement causes the hinge to operatemuch more smoothly than if they were free to slide on the pintle-rod, asheretofore. Both of the abutting ends of the spring are preferably freeto slide in contact with the studs f during the lengthening andshortening of the spring, although said studs might any sliding action,if desirable, as would be the case with a long heavy spring.

The stud a on leaf B not only confines the adjustable spring-lug to arotative movement on the pintle-rod a, but it also serves an importantfunction as a safety-stop, whereby the spring is assured against beingset under an injurious tension. The spring-lugD,in setting the tension,should never be made to make more than one revolution, (springs seldombeing capable of safely working under a tension greater than that due toone revolution of the lug,) and said stud a projects so far inwardly asto serve as a stop against which the studf abuts when the proper limitof tension has been attained.

The stud a on leaf B not only prevents the non-adjustable lug D frombeing moved up and down on the pintle-rod c by the spring, but it alsolocks said lug against all rotative movement, because it occupies arecess, f, in said lug. his locking of a non-adjustablelug againstrotation except with the leaf of the hinge on which it abuts is ofconsequence in an adjustable Springhinge, because when the hinge is usedwithout; spring-tension the lug always maintains its proper workingposition and requires no manipulation preparatory to setting the tensionof the spring, and in a non-adjustable spring-hinge lugs thus lockedagainst independent rotation and against a sliding movement on thehinge-pintle contribute largely to the efiicient working and durabilityof the spring hinge as a whole. This locking of the non-adjustable lugagainst independent rotation may be obtained without having the lugrecessed, as described, but in lieu thereof the adjacentleafof the hingemay be recessed for receiving a projecting portion of the lug, asindicated in Fig. 5, and said lug may also be prevented from sliding onthe pintle rod by having said projection on the lug abut against asurface of the recess parallel with the plane occupied by the lug.

I am aware that non-adjustable spring-lugs have heretofore been lockedso as to be only capable of rotative movement with one leaf of a hinge,as shown in the United States Patent of Acker, November 18, 1862, No.36,976; but I am the first to provide for thus locking a spring-luglocated between one car of the hinge and the coincident end of a spring,as shown by me.

In Figs. 13 and 14 I show a nonadjustable hinge embodying my novelspring, and the two non-adjustable lugs D, (shown in Figs. 4, 9, and10,) and they are each arranged in reference to the leaves of the hingelike the one lug before described. The use of lugs in a non-adjustablesprin g-hinge is deemed by me of practical value,espeeiall y in the moreexpensive heavy varieties, because the centering of the spring isthereby assured and good seats for the spring obtained, and the abuttingends of said spring may therewith be located wholly at the rear of thehinge and practically in line with each other, affording a much neaterfinish than when said ends are exposed on each side. While it would bepossible to cast the leaves of the hinge with a stud,f, neck 0, and asuitable inclined seat for the end of the spring, it is much cheaper inpractice to cast the lugs separately, for if, for instance, the wholewere cast integrally with a leaf of the hinge, and one stud should failto be perfectly formed in the casting, the whole leaf would beworthless; and it is therefore always desirable that the leaves be asfree as possible from any parts which would tend to complicate themolding and casting operations.

I desire it to be distinctly understood that I am well aware thatdetachable spring-lugs have heretofore been provided with a neckextending into a spiral spring, as is illustrated in the United StatesPatent of Acker, No. 36,976, November 18, 1862; but the separable lug astherein shown and described was not used as by me between the end ofaspring and the inner surface of a hinge-ear, or between two ears whichwere located upon one leaf of a hinge.

I am also aware that hinge-leaves have heretofore been provided withears having necks cast thereon for entering the spring, and that suchhave been employed with a spring which had one of its ends extendedoutward and upon the adjacent leaf of the hinge.

I am also aware that a detachable lug provided with a neck for occupyingthe interior of a spring and slotted for the reception of aninwardly-bent end of the spring has heretofore been employed between ahinge-ear and a spring; but so far as my knowledge extends I am thefirst to employ a detachable springlug having a neck for entering thespring, a stud for engagement with the end ofsaidspring, and abearing-surface for engagement with the inner face of a hinge-ear,resulting in the several advantages hereinbefore set forth.

It will be seen that although the tension-lug shown in Fig. 1 is capableof being used and set by means ofa nail or a pin, I obviate the cost ofdrilling radial holes as heretofore, because my recesses, being open ontop of the lug, can be formed readily in casting the lug.

It will be obvious that the separate features of my invention may bemore variously organized than hereinbefore indicated, and that all ofthem may be employed in one hinge, or employed in part in combinationwith hinges or parts thereof constructed as heretofore.

Havingthus described myinvention, Iclaim as new and desireto secure byLettersPatent- 1. The combination, in an adjustable springhinge, of theradially-recessed spring-lug, a hinge-ear having a vertical open slot,and a swinging latch or bolt which engages with the spring-lug throughthe slot in the hinge-ear, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the hinge-leaves and a spiral spring betweenthe upper and lower hinge-joints, of a non-adjustable springing, whichis between the end of said spring and a coincident car of the hinge, hasa bearing against one leaf of the hinge, and is locked thereto againstindependent rotation, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the spring and the adjustable rotatingtension-lug in a springhiuge, ot' a stop which limits the rotation ofthe lug, and thereby limits the tension of the spring, substantially asdescribed.

4. A detachable spring-lug provided with a neck for entering a spiralspring and centering it, and an abutting stud parallel with the axis ofthe lug and affording a space between the stud and neck for thereception of the terminal coil of a spring, and a bearing-surface forthe inner face of a hinge-ear, substantially as described.

5. Atension-lugforadjustable spring-hinges, provided with radialrecesses open at the top of the lug and its edge, in combination with ahinge-ear which closes said recesses at one side thereof, substantiallyas described.

CORNELIUS s. VAN WAGONER Witnesses PHILIP F. LARNED, HOWELL BARTLE.

